I think they are able to hear properly around week 18. So DH started reading stories every night around that time. I want bubs to recognise daddy's voice as well as mums when he's born. It's really nice. I had to pretty much force him at first, but now every night he says "is bubba ready for his story?" It's so cute

I also talk to my belly, probably not as much as you, but every now and then, especially if I'm being kicked I'll say something to him I guess as that increases I'll be talking to him more and more

I had big plans of playing the piano to him too, but that hasn't eventuated yet, I don't seem to get a chance to sit and play. But I will get around to it!

DH and I have this thing that whenever we disagree about anything, I rub my belly and say 'look how your daddy talks to me", then DH'll rub my belly and say "your mum is nuts, but we can't help that" No matter how bad the argument is, it always makes us laugh!

And bub is going to be born thinking its dad is rude and his mum is mental! Lol!

I read to mine and did to my DS and DD from when I was 20 weeks everyday, DH thought I was nuts, so it's nice to hear Im not alone and I've heard they'll feel a calm with your voice whrn mum's not there.

When shes getting a good kick up ill start talking to her- telling her how clever and cute she is for kicking mummy, or telling her "that was a big one! what are you upto in there?" - that sort of stuff.

Tim talks to her too- and kisses my belly and gives belly rubs. He mostly tells her how beautiful she is, how wonderful she is, how clever she is and how much we love her!

We got a book today that Tim will start reading to her. I do believe that she can hear us as she seems to be starting to respond to things.

abs its great that you are talking to otto so much i talk sometimes, and i often prompt DH to talk to the baby too, i read that they can hear our voices from 18 weeks, i sort of felt weird talking to baby though but now i know im not the only one i feel a lot more comfy with it and will do it a lot more often! oh, i held the phone to my belly the other night so DH could say goodnight to him from work, that was pretty cute O we will have to start thinking of some lullabys to sing to baby so he will recognise them when he is born

I used to talk to Kynan all the time when I was PG. And from about 19-20 weeks I regularly read him his special book (a rhyming one especially written to be read to babies in the womb). He still loves it when I read the book to him now (actually, when I recite it to him as I now know it off by heart LOL!).

We've been reading when we go to bed, but now that bubs has his little routine happening... wakes up at 9.00 every night, we've decided to read then while he's awake. It's fun! And I watch him kicking my belly while daddy reads

I too read that they could hear from about 18 weeks, so since just after then, I've been paying careful attention to sing and read to Lucy (especially the singing - so if you're driving around Sydney and see some crazy pg lady singing away to herself in the car don't laugh!).

We have a little routine each night where I get the monitor that lets us listen to her in the womb and try to catch the hb and some movements (she always kicks it off!) and then I read a chapter of a book.

I read that although they can hear, at this stage it's mostly Mum and indistinct sounds, later on they can make out Dad's voice as well if they're used to it, so I'll make DP read after about 30 weeks. She should be sick of my singing by then!

Jennifer - I got DH to read from the start.. probably more for him than for bubba. I think DH struggled with the 'reality' of the baby really being in there! So after maybe a week or two of making him read.. he now really enjoys it. It's his special time with bubba. And I figure bubs is hearing my voice all day every day.. it'd make a nice change to hear a deeper voice